Ex-Corry student gets probation for school threat

Tuesday

A former Corry Area High School student accused of saying he could become a school shooter pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of disorderly conduct Tuesday and received 90 days of probation.

The defendant, 20-year-old Scott R. Perkins, made the comment in March 2018 during a heated argument with a girlfriend, said Perkins' lawyer, John Carlson. Perkins was a senior in high school at the time.

The Erie County District Attorney's Office reduced a first-degree misdemeanor count of terroristic threats to the third-degree misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct as part of Perkins' plea agreement.

Assistant District Attorney Paul Sellers said in court that the plea was reached in part because Perkins has demonstrated improvement, including going on to receive his high school diploma, since the incident.

The Corry Police Department's school resource officer determined that Perkins stated he might become a school shooter during an argument at a Corry residence that was witnessed by three other students on March 3, investigators said. Police said a student contacted a teacher at Corry Area High School to report the threat.

Carlson said Tuesday that Perkins was expelled after the incident but received his diploma with help from school officials.

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